PARK INNOVAARE is located right by the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) and aims to offer an innovation ecosystem to technology companies as they build up their business. It is one of five innovation parks under the national umbrella organization, Switzerland Innovation.
The 38,000m2 campus is being built by the Aargau company Erne AG and is scheduled for completion in 2023. According to a press release, it will be almost entirely powered by renewable energy. Approximately 95 percent of its heating requirements will be produced through waste heat recovery, while 5 percent will be provided through PSI’s district heating network.
For air conditioning, a highly efficient HFO (hydrofluoroolefins) cooling system will be installed that will source water from the nearby Aare river as a coolant. If the river water is too warm in the summer, hybrid heat exchangers will be used.
Waste heat from the production of compressed air will be used to pre-heat the hot water supply. In addition, solar panels will be installed on the roof and building façades of PARK INNOVAARE. They are projected to have an output of 790kWp, corresponding to an energy yield of around 645,000kWh. This energy would reportedly be sufficient to cover the needs of around 185 households.
